Frozen III
by Lyger 0
Summary: Elsa's family and friends believed their adventures were over. But they were WRONG. An ancient evil has begun to move and Elsa must restore the ties she unintentionally severed to help her new friend save the world.
1. Prologue: A New Enemy

**Frozen III**

**Prologue: A New Enemy**

The first sensation to come to Elsa was a horrible, searing pain, as though someone had taken an ice-ax and was using it to assault her frontal lobes. Groaning audibly, she was finally able to force her eyes open. As her vision cleared, Elsa looked around, finding a large cavern of ice… with her arms and legs pinned to the wall by more ice formed around her hands and feet. Gasping, Elsa quickly tried to concentrate, willing the ice to release her… but nothing happened. Try as she might, she could not feel the familiar surge of energy that accompanied her magic. All that came was an increase of the pain in her head.

Stopping to catch her breath, Elsa decided to go over her last memories, to try and make sense of this situation. "Alright… I remember… I remember pushing Anna and Olaf away… God, was that stupid, if being alone is how I ended up in this situation. I remember reaching the Ahtohallan… following it deeper and deeper into the glacier… and then… nothing. What happened after that?" Suddenly aware of the cold, Elsa shuddered, her teeth chattering. "So cold… cold? I never GET cold. What is happening here?"

"Ah," came a voice from somewhere to Elsa's left. "I see you finally woke up. Good. It's been horribly lonely down here while I waited for you to thaw out of my little trap." Elsa's eyes widened and her jaw dropped at the sight of the being striding into the light. For all intents and purposes, it was HER, only… NOT her at the same time. The being certainly resembled Elsa, yes, but there were distinct differences. This other woman was noticeably paler, with long, vanilla-blonde hair that hung loose around her shoulders, and was dressed in an almost obnoxiously white dress with a long cape draped behind her.

"Who… who or what in the name of God Almighty ARE you," Elsa demanded, her cheeks flushing with the rage she now felt. "And what sort of sorry excuse for a masquerade costume do you have me wearing?! Open toed flats? I wouldn't caught DEAD in such shoes! If you are attempting to pass yourself off as me, you won't fool anyone in the kingdom!"

The other woman simply broke out into a raucous cackle at Elsa's outburst. "Oh, I'm sorry! I KNOW this must be a shock at first, but you see… I'm not IMITATING anyone. I AM you, Elsa. Or, that is to say, I am you NOW, and it is my pleasure to welcome you to my humble home, your majesty." The woman made a grand show of dipping into a regal curtsy, only to pause midway. "Oh, that's right. You're not a queen anymore."

"What do you mean by that? I am the born queen of Arendelle."

"Not anymore! I've been VERY busy while you thawed out down here. Oh, you should have SEEN the look on poor, pitiable Anna's face when her beloved sister told her she had no intention of returning home and was going to stay in the Enchanted Forest and run around like a little girl pretending to be a fairy! HA! Oh, she made a great show of being strong, but we both know this is DESTROYING her!"

"Preposterous! I would NEVER do that! Prophecy or no prophecy, I would NEVER abandon my sister like that! She's had almost no training in running a country. The stress alone could be dangerous for her. Besides, for that to even be legal, I'd need…"

"An official decree of abdication of the throne? Written and signed in your own hand?" The other woman paused from examining her snow-white nails produce a sheet of parchment from behind her back. "Oh, don't look so shocked. I'm a VERY skilled actor… or actress, as the case might be at the moment. OH, and that reminds me… that prophecy? It's BUNK!"

"What?"

"You heard me. It was all a LIE! I made it up! The WHOLE thing. A clever trap I've used to lure people like you down here for CENTURIES! A few well-whispered words in the form a Northuldra shaman, and those savages make it into a legend. All I need do then is wait until some elementally-empowered magic-user wanders up here looking for the answers they want, and I give them the answers on a silver platter, every single thing drawing them ever closer to the exact situation you're in now!"

"Then… you mean…"

"The "spirits", your parents' ship's wreckage, the fancy ice statues… that was all ME, working through proxies to lure you here to me!"

"What ARE you?"

"If I had a 1,000 years to explain, it wouldn't begin to scratch the surface of my truest self. Needless to say, I am a being who has existed for millenia, feeding off the magics of those blessed like you. Oh, it has been CENTURIES since I've tasted the sweet mana of an Ice-Witch, and one so powerful as you… will surely whet my appetite while I wait for the chaos I've sown to bring on the main course of chaos and suffering!" The stranger strode up to Elsa, allowing the young woman to look on in shock as her nails extended into claws and her pearly white teeth became long and razor-sharp. "Well, here's to the kill… or should I say breakfast?"


	2. Chapter 1: A New Ally

**Chapter 1: A New Ally**

Elsa jerked back, awaiting the blow of the creature's claws… but it never came. Daring to open one eye, she saw the creature who had stolen her face, manipulated her life for the past several months, stopped in its tracks by a huge figure dressed in full plate armor, its claws caught on the edge of a great broadsword. The creature roared and struggled to press its attack, but the figure held its ground, the heavy boots sinking into the snow. With a great roar of effort, the armored figure swung his blade with all his strength and hurled the creature against the opposite wall before wheeling around and holding out his free hand in Elsa's direction. Elsa was aware of a sudden wave of warmth and looked in amazement as her restraints melted away, allowing her drop to her feet.

"Go," Bellowed the strange knight as he turned back to catch the monster's claws once again. "Run for the entrance! I'll be just behind you!"

The monster, clearly frustrated and angry at the interruption of a potential meal, roared its rage, its disguised face slipping further and further into something monstrous. "Magnus, you meddlesome interloper! How DARE you stand against me when my victory is so CLOSE?!"

"I will ALWAYS stand against you, you glorified parasite! As is my sacred vow, you will NOT claim another innocent, not so long as I am drawing breath!" As he continued to push his opponent back, light began to shine from within the knight's armor, red lines etching themselves across the black and silver of his armor and up the blade of his sword.

*********************************************************************

As the battle raged behind her, Elsa ran up the tunnel toward the light. Almost on instinct, she RIPPED the hem of her dress until it was above her knees and used a strip of the excess cloth to tie back her hair. She didn't remember how she'd gotten into this strange outfit, but clearly it was only for show and not the least bit practical. Fiddling with the bodice for a moment, she was finally able to rip off the sleeves and cape and TOSS them away, removing any fear of them slowing her down or getting caught on something. As she approached the cave mouth, she came to a halt, looking out at the dark, frigid waves roiling far below. THIS she could remember. The Dark Sea that surrounded the Ahtohallan. Even without the threat of the Nokk, she could tell this was dangerous. Though she could see the shoreline not far off, she had no illusion of being able to SWIM the distance. If the drop to the water didn't kill her, or the waves dash her against the iceberg, with her powers in this weakened state, the sheer cold of the water would no doubt ensure her death in mere minutes. She could see no sign of escape. She was well and truly trapped. As she tried to think of any conceivable way to get off the ledge of ice, there came a massive rumbling from the interior of the iceberg, and a strangely hot wind blew out of the cave, causing the ice to drip and crack. There was a rhythmic pounding coming closer, and Elsa caught sight of the armored figure who had freed her running up the tunnel, his speed amazing even with the heavy armor encasing him.

"Your majesty," he bellowed, "grab my hand and be ready to jump!" As he put forth a final burst of speed, he extended his gauntlet-covered hand. Without hesitation, Elsa reached out and caught hold of her rescuer's wrist just as he barrelled past her and LEAPT from the ledge! For the briefest of moments, Elsa considered that this might not have been the best idea as gravity took hold and they began to plummet toward the water, but just as it seemed her stomach would soon be making a permanent residence in her mouth, their descent slowed. Looking up, Elsa's eyes widened as her rescuer's cape spread out like a set of wings. Looking closely, it DID seem to be made of golden feathers, inlaid with small rubies. She could feel a warm wind catch them and guide them over the water and past the shoreline. They soared along the cliffs before finally setting down in a great circle of standing stones. The clearing of grass in the middle had been converted into a camp. There was a yurt in the exact center, a large circular tent covered in animal hide, with wisps of smoke drifting through a hold in the roof.

"What is this place," Elsa asked, watching the strange knight as he pulled back the flap leading inside.

"My home, such as it is," he replied as they headed inside. The only light inside the yurt at this time came from the embers smoldering in the firepit, over which a large, covered cauldron was hissing and bubbling. Near the firepit was a pile of split firewood, on top of which was a crudely woven basket filled with evergreen branches, which gave a refreshing scent to the enclosed area. There was a cot laid against the far side, covered in animal hides. On the opposite side was a privacy screen, behind which Elsa could just make out a wooden chest, presumably filled with fresh clothing. Rounding out the sparse furnishings was an armor rack and a weapon trunk. The knight seemed nervous, bouncing on his heels for a moment before clearing his throat awkwardly. "You should change, Queen Elsa. There should be some things in the trunk over there. I think some of it already belongs to you."

Taking into account her current state of dress, Elsa cleared her throat and stepped behind the screen. Kicking off her shoes and slipping out of the tattered remains of the dress she had been in when she awoke, she carefully opened the lid of the trunk. Inside were various tunics, trousers, leggings, some sets of boots, gloves and jackets, all of which were much plainer than her usual wardrobe but far more practical for these environs. Fishing around for a moment, she pulled out a pair of trousers that, while somewhat large for her slight frame, fit well enough once she found a belt and cinched it as tight as she could. It was when she pulled out a tunic to examine that she saw a familiar flash of powder blue. It was the jacket, boots and gloves she had been wearing when she, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven had come to the Enchanted Forest. Sticking her head around the side of the screen, she saw her mysterious rescuer, now having stripped out of his armor into a plain gray tunic, breeches and a lair of leather boots, was kneeling by the firepit and tossing some more wood onto the fire to stoke it. "Where did you get these?"

"I, uh… I found them on the shoreline when I got back. Lucky thing you left them above the high water line, or I might never have found you in time."

"In time for WHAT, exactly? Come to think of it, what was all that back there, anyway? The last thing I can remember is going into that cave and then… nothing."

The young man stood and turned, revealing a somewhat reddened face with dark blue eyes and shaggy black hair. "Well, to make a long story short, you were lured to that glacier by the doppleganger."

"Dopple-what?"

"Doppelganger. It… essentially, it's a kind of evil fairy that has the power to become anyone or anything it wants to. This one has been haunting the Northern Sea and the land around it for hundreds of years. It seems he's developed a taste for elementals. He lures them here with the promise of answers and then traps them so he can drain them of their magic to increase his own strength. The spirits you thought were helping you along this journey? All of them are servants of the doppleganger; all that remains of other people he's already drained."

Elsa paused from where she had been re-braiding her hair. The more she thought about it, the more suspicious it did seem to be. The way the barrier that had surrounded the Enchanted Forest for more than three decades just suddenly disappearing the moment she had tried to touch it. Supposedly dangerous spirits that seemed so happy to see her and allowed her by so easily. The strange siren song that had been haunting her for months just happening to be her mother's voice? She shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose, the familiar feeling of a headache coming on. How had she not seen through that? Had she truly been so desperate that all reason had been thrown to the wayside? "Oh… you must think I'm the stupidest person in the world… uh… I'm sorry, but… what IS your name?"

The young man chuckled and pulled the cover from his cauldron, spooning two bowls full of a thick, rich-smelling stew. "It's Magnus, and no, I don't think you're stupid, Queen Elsa. I think you're a young woman looking for some kind of answers who was so eager to find some that she jumped in headfirst without thinking. Come. Sit. Eat. You need to recover your strength. I'm sorry it's not much; just snowshoe hare and some herbs I gathered in the forest. Certainly not fit for a royal table."

"No, no. It's quite alright. If anything, I'm sorry you have to give up part of your food to me." Sitting down by Magnus, Elsa took the offered wooden bowl and sipped the hot broth. Magnus was right. It was nothing fancy, but the stew DID fill her stomach and spread a welcome warmth through her body. "Ahhh… I can't believe I'm so cold. The cold has NEVER bothered me. And my magic… I can FEEL it, but… why won't it come out?"

Magnus sighed and sat his own bowl down. "By the time I found you, the Doppelganger had already started to feed from you. I can only guess he HAD to so he could convincingly portray you to your sister and friends. You'll be alright, but your personal store of magical energy has been badly drained. You'll have to rest in order to fully recover."

"Oh… well… if it's not offensive… may I ask how you know all these things? Just who ARE you, Magnus?"

"I take no offense, Elsa. Well… I was born to the south of your kingdom, in the land of Toussant, just outside the capital city of Beauclair. My father was a knight with a penchant for slaying the monsters that terrorized the outlying villages, and my mother was a sorceress of some renown in the surrounding kingdoms. I had a happy childhood on the vineyard that had been a reward to my father after a successful job, but as I grew older, it became apparent I had inherited my mother's amazing proficiency in magic. Seeking better control than my parents could teach me, I left home and set out on the road. It was there I met my mentor. He saw great potential in me and took me in as one of his students. I spent years under his tutelage, learning all he could teach me of my inherent powers, and when I was old enough, he brought me before his order, and I was made a full member, part of an ancient fellowship dedicated to fighting the forces of evil and chaos. I had heard stories of other mages disappearing in this part of the world, so I accepted it as my quest to discover why. Obviously, I hadn't expected something so powerful as a Doppelganger, but I am happy to say I have kept him contained and managed to chase off any elemental mages who found their way here. Sadly… I can only suppose you found your way here while I was away resupplying and having my armor and weapons repaired… bit of a trek to civilization from here, you see. When I returned and resumed by regular patrol, I found your things on those rocks and realized what must have happened. Sadly… I didn't return soon enough to stop that demon's immediate plan."

"Yes, he kept talking about something like that. What did he DO, exactly."

"Well… you might want to prepare yourself for a shock, my lady." There, by the light of the fire, Magnus delved into all he had learned during his latest travels.

Elsa sat, staring at the flames in shock. "MONTHS? I was frozen in that cave for six months?! My sister has been queen for half a YEAR now?"

"If it means anything to you, Elsa, she seems to be doing a good job for now. The royal council is able to handle the day-to-day matters, and she's been dealing with major problems as they arise. Still… I have heard rumors, whispers of some of your rival kingdoms planning to take action now that Arendelle's primary defense is gone."

Elsa groaned. "I was afraid of that. Magnus, this is going to sound odd, but… I am asking you to escort my back to the capital so I can set this mess right. I promise I will see you richly rewarded for your service."

Magnus, for his part, only seemed to think it over for a minute or two before walking over to his armor rack and beginning to slip into his chain mail and strap on his plate armor. "I suppose it does count as part of my quest against the doppelganger to see you safely away from these territories… and you ARE technically a damsel in distress, so this is a big opportunity for me. Very well! I shall accompany you to your home as befits a knight of Toussant!" With this vow, Magnus placed on his helm and slammed his visor shut before pulling two of his swords free from the weapon rack and sheathing them at his waist and walking outside, emitting a loud whistle. Elsa looked up in amazement as a huge animal descended from the sky and landed before them with a loud roar. It had the head, wings and great talons of an eagle, but the form on his body was that of a huge cat. "Ever ride a griffin?"

"Uh… well… I've had riding lessons since I was a girl, but… I've never actually…" Elsa's excuse was cut short as she was lifted and deposited into the ornate saddle on the beast's back. Though she wanted to say it wasn't proper for a lady to ride astride, she had a feeling Magnus' mount would object to her attempting to sidesaddle while he flew, so she kept quiet. Magnus hefted himself into the saddle just behind her and took hold of the chain that attached to the bridal on the griffin's head like a pair of reins. As Magnus prepared to command the griffin to fly, there was a loud rumble, which caused all three to stare off in the direction of the Enchanted Forest. The ancient trees began to shake and groan, as though a savage wind was blowing through them. "What is happening?"

Behind his helm, Magnus' eyes narrowed. "The Doppelganger. He is enraged at losing you and is now taking his frustrations out on the forest. We must go, now! FLY, WINDFANG!" The great creature roared and burst into a full run, his massive wingspan unfolding in time to catch the wind and take off into the sky, the group soaring higher and higher until they disappeared from ground level and began their journey south.


	3. Chapter 2: Another Day in PAradise

**Chapter 2: Another Day in Paradise… or IS it?**

Anna groaned and deposited her quill back into the inkwell to massage her aching right hand. No matter how many documents she signed, the pile on her desk never seemed to grow any smaller. It was barely past lunchtime and already, she could think of nothing else but crawling into bed next to her husband. Six months now she had sat on the throne as ruler of Arendelle. Six months since the wretched time in the forest. Had she known then what she knew now, she would've dragged Elsa home by the ear and talked some sense into her! It had seemed so easy at first, but with winter ending and the sea ice breaking up, the work just kept piling up. Trade negotiations, contracts, land deals, deeds, writs, taxation forms; they just never stopped coming. From the second she was forcibly awakened at the crack of dawn until she was finally ALLOWED to return to her chambers, often far past sundown when most of the citizens had long since retired to home and hearth, there was always something to sign, someone to meet with, some plan that needed the stamp of the royal seal. "How did Elsa DO all this," she would ask herself. The answer was easy. Elsa was a workaholic. She THRIVED under this pressure. Anna, however, knew she was NOT. Each night, she went to bed with a splitting headache and woke up several times during the night, haunted by one nightmare or another, before being rushed to wakefulness the next morning. She had not slept properly in weeks, and it was beginning to show. She was increasingly pale, and the dark circles under her eyes were becoming more and more obvious. Worst of all, it was affecting her personality. She was becoming grumpy, snapping at the palace servants for even the least perceived slight, and last night, she had actually KICKED at Olaf to chase him off when he had barged in on her and Kristoff when they'd had a spare moment for each other for the first time in almost two months. Letting out a yawn that any of her childhood etiquette teachers would have scolded her for, Anna sat back in her chair. Even the upholstery on this high-backed chair felt so good on her aching back. Visibly, she relaxed and her eyes began to close. If she could just get a few hours… of uninterrupted…

The door to the study creaked open, jolting Anna awake. She prepared to whirl around and throw one of the heavy books of laws at whoever had forced her out of the closest thing to sleep she'd known in close to a week when she saw it was only the familiar form of Kai, the castle steward, whom she had known since she was a little girl. Shaking her head, Anna slumped in her chair and let the book drop to the floor. "Hello, Kai," she managed to let out, though she was certain she sounded less than enthused.

"Good afternoon, your majesty," Kai greeted with his usual amount of professional courtesy as he wheeled in a tea service. "I took the liberty of bringing in a pot of tea and some of your favorite biscuits. I hope that's alright."

Anna shook her head and tried to focus. "Wha… tea? Oh… thank you, Kai." Managing to rouse herself to wakefulness, Anna took the china cup in her hands and raised it to her lips, carefully blowing over the deep red liquid before taking a sip. "Orange pekoe?"

"With hibiscus notes, steeped six and a half minutes and sweetened with rock sugar, just as you like it, my queen." Kai smiled and allowed himself a small bow.

"Alright, Kai. Be straight with me. What do they want?"

"Uh… want, your majesty? I don't think I know what you mean."

"Kai, I've known you since I was in diapers. I KNOW when you're trying to butter me up. You've brought me the one kind of tea I can actually stomach, and I'm guessing the biscuits under that cover are ginger snaps, which are my favorite. What do those big-wigs on the council want from me this time?"

Kai took the handkerchief from his jacket pocket and began to wipe his face with it. "Well, you see, Anna, I know this isn't my place, but… they approached me and asked if you had perhaps reconsidered the idea of…"

"No," Anna declared, standing bolt upright. "I will not have a coronation ceremony! That would be like giving up on her!"

"Your majesty, I love Elsa, too, but… it appears she is truly gone now. She was barely there at your wedding and has not responded to any of your missives for three months now. Perhaps it is time we admit that she…"

"I said NO! Elsa will not abandon us forever! She would NEVER willingly isolate herself again! You will see! She'll get tired of living out in the middle of nowhere and come back home, and when she does, the throne will be waiting for her and we will put this entire mess behind us! You can tell those stuff-shirts that, as the only remaining member of the royal family, I will hold the throne as I see fit to do so! Now, get out of my chambers and don't come back unless I summon you!"

As Kai stumbled out of the door, Anna actually allowed herself a brief feeling of pride at her handling of the situation… until she realized what she had just done. She yelled at Kai! Good, honest, loving Kai, who had been like an unofficial uncle to her for as long as she could remember. Letting out a shaky breath, she sat back down and rested her head in her hands, allowing her tears to finally come. How had it all come to this? Not so long ago, they'd all been so happy, and now… now it was all going wrong!

Anna became aware of a familiar, musky odor and the sensation of a pair of large, calloused hands wrapping around her shoulders. Kristoff, her dear, wonderful husband, had made his way to the study with a stealth that belied his massive frame and joined her. These were the moments that lifted Anna's ever-sagging spirit, when her mountain man's mere presence could comfort her.

"It's ok, Anna," Kristoff soothed in a gentle voice, getting down on his knees to properly hold his wife and pressing his chin to her head in the way she liked. "Let the tears come if they must. I'm here." With a patience born of a life spent among trolls, to whom a short story could take hours to relate, Kristoff wrapped his strong arms around Anna's thin torso and held tightly as she turned in her chair and returned the embrace, sobbing openly as her tears caused her makeup to run down her cheeks.

"Kristoff, I've been an absolute IDIOT! I can't do this!"

"Yes, you can…"

"No, I CAN'T! I don't know what I'm doing half the time and the other half I'm just making up as I go! I'm not fit to be a queen! I'm just Elsa's spastic little sister and the entire kingdom KNOWS it! What's more... I don't want to be queen! It's boring and stressful and I'm not getting a wink of sleep and I'm shouting at everybody and…"

"Ok, ok," Kristoff soothed, slapping his hand over Anna's mouth. "I get the picture. If that's how you feel… can't you just abdicate? Elsa did."

"That's not how it works! If I were to abdicate, there'd be nobody to pass the throne to! I mean… I think papa has some distant cousins in Corona, but that's so far away! Arendelle would be without a leader, and soon the nobility would be fighting for control and we'd end up in a civil war!" Groaning in finality, Anna turned back to her desk, opening a drawer and rummaging around before drawing a handful of darts. Turning in her chair, she took careful aim at the royal portrait of her elder sister on the wall. "Elsa… you are so SELFISH!" She tossed the first dart, striking Elsa's portrait right on the nose. It was quickly joined by two more. "I can understand needing to discover this new SIDE to you, but it's not an excuse to abandon our home and dump all your responsibilities on your poor baby sister and her ice-harvester husband!"

"You're getting very good with those darts."

"Thank you, sweetie. Oh! Watch me get her smack in one of those 'come-hither' eyes of hers." Anna took careful aim and held her breath to steady her hand… only for the doors to fly open and a member of the palace guard to charge in, causing her to topple back into Kristoff's arms, her shot going wild and striking a portrait of her father between the eyes. "Ooh… sorry, papa."

"Your majesty! Your majesty," The guard panted, struggling to catch his breath. "News from the border guards! A strange, winged creature is approaching the city, baring two riders on its back… one of whom appears to be your sister."

Anna bolted to her feet. "What?! Uh… hurry! Roll out the carpet! Alert the staff! Make everything ready at once! Oh… of COURSE she shows up NOW, just when I'm a complete mess! This is so like her. Disappears for months and then just shows up like nothing happened! Hurry, Kristoff, help me find something suitable to wear. She can't see me like this!"

Lieutenant Mattias of the royal guard had been certain after surviving thirty years in an enchanted forest that nothing could surprise him anymore. He had actually been considering taking up the council's offer of collecting his decades of back-pay and disappearing into retirement, as most of his men had. He would be kidding himself if he denied that he was no longer the young man considered dead by friends and family for three decades. To be pushing sixty and still on active duty would be considered crazy, but there was a quiet calmness to life in the capital again. It was interesting to go along his old patrol route each day, seeing what had changed and what was the same. He had been stepping out of his favorite tavern, thank goodness it was still there, when his personal belief was proven wrong.

It wasn't that he had never seen a griffin before, no. He had seen several during the long years trapped in the Enchanted Forest, flying over the canopy of ancient trees as they followed the migrating herds across the tundra beyond. The surprise came in the fact he had seen this particular griffin before. It made a frequent criss-cross over the forest and had once landed to drink from the reservoir behind king Runeard's dam. Seeing the magnificent creature had worn a saddle and bridle, Mattias had made an attempt to get on its back, hoping it might be able to carry him past the barrier to find help. He hadn't gotten two steps toward it before it roared at him and took off.

Arriving at the royal plaza, Mattias saw the griffin standing in the center of a circle of his fellow guardsmen, great wings flared out in a display to keep them back. It was just as magnificent to behold as he remembered from five years ago; twice the size of a great warhorse, its body covered in stormy gray and snow white fur and feathers, the grouping over its forelegs and shoulders much thicker than the rest, like a lion's mane. The griffin snarled and circled slowly, keeping its large yellow eyes on the guards, preventing them from getting too close.

"Whoa, there, Windfang. No need to get disgruntled," came a voice. As the griffin seemed to calm itself and furl its wings, Mattias and his comrades saw the figure seated in the saddle. He was tall, powerfully built and dressed in a full suit of black plate armor, edged with silver. Draped over his shoulders was a cape seemingly forged from golden feathers. The strange knight pulled with all his strength on the great chains that acted as reins for his mount. "I come in peace on urgent business! Stay your weapons and allow us to dismount!"

The captain of the guard stepped forward, raising his hand in a silent signal to his men to lower their rifles and halberds. "What business do you have here, stranger?"

"MY business, captain Horace," came a feminine voice from the figure sliding herself down from the griffin's saddle. All present gasped at the sight of the pale, platinum haired maiden many had thought gone forever. "No matter what changes have occurred here in my absence, as a member of the royal family, I COMMAND you and the guard to stand down and allow my escort to dismount and enter the palace."

Horace stumbled for words in his amazement. "Quee-...princess-...uh… your grace." Quickly, the contingent of guards fell into a kneeling position, forming an aisle to allow Elsa and her strange new companion to walk to the palace stairs. It seemed no sooner that they were halfway up than a figure emerged from the shadow of the doorway and confronted them; a tall young woman in a formal green and black gown with a glittering silver tiara on her head, her ginger red hair done up in a courtly bun and her emerald green eyes staring down at them.

"Hello, Elsa," Anna said flatly. "Welcome home. Or, maybe I should just say welcome back, seeing as you clearly don't recognize our family's kingdom as your home any-OOF!" Anna's tirade was cut off as Elsa RACED up the last few stares and enveloped her in a tight hug.

"Anna," Elsa cried, the tears flowing freely from her eyes as she hugged her little sister tightly. "Anna, I am so happy to see you! When I heard what had happened, I was so worried about you, but here you are and you look so wonderful and… and… I think… I think… I'm gonna faint." The entire courtyard gasped collectively at the sight of the former queen swooning and falling backwards, only to be caught by the strange foreign knight who had accompanied her.

"Elsa! What happened? Is she alright!?"

Magnus paused to examine Elsa's face. "She's fine, just exhausted. Too much activity too soon, I guess. What she needs is a good, long rest and a decent meal to regain her strength. Your highness, please help me see to her and I promise I'll explain everything to you and the rest of your family."

Anna nodded and turned to rush into the castle, hiking up her skirts as she ran. "Have Elsa's chambers made ready at once! Alert the kitchen staff! My sister is home and needs our help!"


	4. Chapter 3: A Brand New Day

**Chapter 3: A Brand New Day**

Elsa rolled over onto her side, snuggling into the soft warmth of her comforters and inhaling the familiar scent of her down-stuffed pillows. It was so warm and comfortable, she couldn't bring herself to move. Wait… her bed? Her eyes popped open and she sat bolt upright in… yes, she was in her own bed in her own chambers in the royal palace. Easing her legs over the edge of the mattress, she flipped the comforters aside to reveal that someone had dressed her in her favorite blue nightgown since she'd passed out. Out of sheer habit, she reached out and pulled the cord next to the head of the bed, ringing a bell to summon one of the palace staff.

Almost immediately, the door opened and the familiar, matronly form of Gerda entered, pushing a handcart loaded with a covered tray and a gently steaming teapot. In spite of herself, Elsa couldn't help but smile at the sight. Kai's wife had been a regular fixture in the royal sisters' lives as far back as either could remember. More so than any nanny or governess, Gerda was the closest thing Elsa could count to a grandmother and had been a friend and confidant more times than she could count. Just seeing the elder woman brought a smile to Elsa's face for the first time in… well, apparently months. "Hello, Gerda."

"Good morning, Elsie," Gerda said, dipping in an informal curtsy before wheeling the breakfast service over to the side of Elsa's bed. "I hope you're feeling better."

"So much better," Elsa said, letting out a deep sigh. She could already feel her magic restoring itself to its proper flow through her body. "I feel like I slept for one hundred hours."

Gerda gave her familiar tittering laugh. "Well, not quite that much, but you DID sleep soundly all through yesterday afternoon and through the night. Nothing we did even roused you, so I had you brought to her rooms and put you straight to bed. Your new friend insisted sleep was the best thing, anyway."

"New fr...oh, Magnus! Is he alright? I can't believe this. I ASK him to go out of his way to bring me back and then I just pass out on him!"

"Elsie, the young man is fine. Anna had his steed taken to the stables and put him up in one of the guest rooms. He was explaining things to us half the night."

Elsa let out a breath she hadn't been aware she'd been holding and made to get up, only for Gerda to press a hand to her chest. "Gerda, what are you…"

"You're not going anywhere until you've had a good, hearty breakfast, young lady. You've had me worrying myself sick with how you were eating in that horrible forest for six months."

"Garda, I wasn't even IN the forest! I was…"

"Magical entrapment or not, you are eating if I have to stand here and watch you do it. Your sister had the kitchen staff up early to make ALL your favorites." She pulled away the cover from the tray and Elsa's eyes bugged out at the sight of the wonders in front of her. Two beautiful Belgian waffles dripping with syrup, toast smothered in lingonberry jam, perfectly browned sausage links, fluffy scrambled eggs and the teapot could only contain blackcurrant tea. Gerda had not been exaggerating. Every item on the tray was one of her favorite items to have for breakfast. "Now, will you eat or do I have to make your poor little sister feel worse than she already does?"

Elsa was about to protest… when her stomach made itself known with a rumble that actually echoed in her large room. Blushing furiously, Elsa attempted to salvage some measure of her dignity by clearing her throat. "Well… if I must… and you ARE insisting." She reached for the knife and fork on the side of the tray and began to cut into the waffles.

Yelana watched as her tribesmen continued their labor of breaking up what was the closest thing to a permanent settlement the Northuldra tribe had ever known. "That's right. Strike the tents. Pack the sleds. We will be leaving very shortly." She nodded in satisfaction as the tribal elders directed the youngsters in constructing new sleds and breaking some of their reindeer herd to the harness. After more than thirty seasons trapped in the Enchanted Forest, the Northuldra were finally free to resume their true way of life and return to journeying across the northlands.

There was a sound of struggle coming from Yelana's own tent and she turned to see her granddaughter, Honeymaren, the tribe's current historian, struggling to carry a armful of folded hides toward the large sled her twin brother, Ryder, was working on. With a great grunt of effort, she dumped them onto the sled and began to work at tying them. "I don't see why we must do this, grandmother," she said. "I know it is not my place to question your wisdom, but surely, with the spirits at peace, we can stay here as long as we wish now."

Yelana sighed, all too used to her son's daughter's headstrong and opinionated nature. "My sweet child, spring has come and the reindeer are already on the move. We Northuldra rely on the reindeer for everything; milk, meat, bones to make tools, fur for warmth. We must follow the wild herds on their great journey across the land. Besides, with the mists gone… who knows how long the Forest will want us to stay."

Ryder laughed and gave his twin sister a playful slap on the back. "C'mon, sis! This is gonna be great! Just like all the old tales! We'll travel the north! Meet new people, see new things, sleep under the stars instead of a perpetual fogbank."

As Ryder began to work at the reindeer's harness, Yelana's sixth sense, which had always served her well in her sixty years of life, began to tickle and nag at the back of her head. Taking a deep breath, the elderly shaman closed her eyes and reached out with her mind, tracking this odd feeling back to its source until… with a gasp, her eyes snapped open, an expression of sheer terror on her aged face. "No. Not now." Wheeling around, Yelana raised her hands to draw the entire tribe's attention. "Hear me! We must go now! Send outriders to the other settlements, have them make for the eastern edge of the forest as we planned! We will join you shortly after!" With all the speed she could muster, Yelana climbed into Ryder's sled. "Honeymaren, you ride with me. Ryder, turn this sled to the south."

Honeymaren gasped as she also climbed into the sled, sitting just in front of her grandmother. "South? We don't ride with the others?"

"No. Something has changed in the forest. Before we can leave, we must go to Arendelle and see the cause of this for ourselves."

Honeymaren was about to protest when she became aware of the sound of the ancient branches overhead creaking as the trees began to groan and sway in the growing wind. "This sound… that foul, putrid wind…"

"That be no wind, my child, but the herald of a great evil. Ryder, get this sled moving!"

"You got it, grandma! HYAH, Gurgi! HYAH!" With a great bellow, the large reindeer bull dug his hooves into the dirt and took off like a shot. Daring to turn her head back, Yelana caught sight of a whirlwind ripping apart what remained of the camp. In the center of the cyclone, roaring like a lost soul, was a towering, gaunt figure with blue-gray skin, huge, black eyes and long limbs with razor-sharp claws. "The Doppelganger…"


End file.
